Agarwood Branch Ethanolic Extract Affects Expression of Apoptotic Genes in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer is one of the most common death causes among women worldwide. Treatment is usually associated with chemically synthesized drugs with serious side effects which shifted the attention of cancer researchers towards development of natural product alternatives. Ethnopharmaceutical evidence showed that Aquilaria spp. have been used to treat a wide range of disorders. However, scientific evidence is still lacking to support and extend the traditional applications to cancer. This study aims to investigate differential gene expression (DEG) of MCF-7 cells treated with agarwood branch ethanolic extract (ABEE) to provide insights into its cell growth-inhibiting effects. Methods: cDNA synthesis from RNA of MCF-7 cells treated with the 8 µg/ml ABEE and DMSO-treated cells (control), respectively, were subjected to RT2 Profiler Array Human Cell Death Finder™ containing 84 genes related to cell death mechanism. Pathway analysis was carried out using the online KEGG Pathway tool. Results: 48 genes that met the threshold fold regulation cut-off of 2 and p < 0.05; 41 DEGs from the list were down-regulated, and 7 were up-regulated. Pathway analysis suggested ABEE may have caused apoptosis of MCF-7 cells through extrinsic and/or intrinsic apoptotic pathways, including activation of p53 that could be the first step towards apoptotic elimination of the cancer cells upon treatment of ABEE. Conclusion: Results obtained supported the growth inhibition effects of ABEE against MCF-7 cells that can serve as the basis for further work towards extending the use of agarwood as cancer therapeutics.

Determination of Aristolochic Acid Using Isocratic RP-HPLC Method

Aristolochic acid (AA) is an abundant chemical substance commonly present in the genus, Aristolochia. In term of stereoisomerism, Aristolochic acid I (AA-I) is known to cause nephrotoxicity, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. Therefore, the determination of AA-I in the herbal products is imperative to avoid the unwanted adverse drug reaction. Hence, this study was undertaken to develop a low cost isocratic HPLC method to detect AA-I and AA-II in two selected products. RP-HPLC instrument (Cyberlab LC-100) equipped with photo-diode-array UV detector with Capcell Pak C18 - column (5μm, 25 x 0.46 cm), and a mobile phase, methanol-water (75:25) added with 0.1% glacial acetic acid (pH 4.14) with a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. at 254 nm was used. The total run time was 10 min. The results indicate that the isocratic RP-HPLC method developed in the present study is a reproducible and precise method with an optimum resolution for the separation of peaks. The presence of AA was determined in three herbal plants, A. debilis, A. fangchi, and A. manshuriensis and two different Chinese herbal products. The HPLC chromatogram of the standard was identified and the retention time of the standards AA-I and AA-II was found at 8.35 min and 7.0 min respectively, also the AA-I was identified in raw herbs, A. debilis, and A. fangchi at 8.4 and 8.5 min. respectively whereas, A. manshuriensis did not show the peak for AA-I. The HPLC analyses of methanol extract of the two selected Chinese herbal products Zhu Ling San and Wu Ling San indicated the absence of AA-I peaks at 8.4 min.

Traditional and complementary medicine use in patients with type 2 diabetes: Findings from a multicenter cross-sectional questionnaire survey in Selangor, Malaysia

Current global estimates of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) utilization range from 9.8% to 76%, with high rates of use being documented in Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia. Previous research has shown that patients with diabetes are more likely to use T&CM than individuals without diabetes. A multicenter cross-sectional survey of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was conducted at five primary care health clinics in Petaling district of Selangor, Malaysia from June 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020. A total of 476 patients were enrolled. 58.0% of men and 64.8% of women reported to use at least a type of T&CM. The prevalence of T&CM use among Malays, Chinese, and Indians was 71.1%, 33.3%, and 62.9% respectively. The most commonly used T&CM were herbal remedies (45.2%), followed by nutritional supplements (9.9%). 80.0% of the patients would follow their doctor’s instruction if the doctor asked them not to use T&CM, whereas 70.2% would consult their doctor about using T&CM. Factors associated with higher tendency for T&CM use comprised increased age, unemployed, oral antidiabetic monotherapy, presence of family history of diabetes, and coexisting chronic disease. T&CM therapies were common among multi-ethnic patient population with type 2 diabetes. The high rate of use warranted clinical attention and intervention to reduce the risk of drug-associated adverse events.

Dental Anxiety among Undergraduate Students of a National University in Brunei Darussalam

This study aimed to investigate the nature of dental anxiety among undergraduate students of a national university in Brunei Darussalam. Participants were undergraduate students from different faculties of a national university. It was a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire that included their personal demographics, the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) questions and questions regarding their last dental visit. The degree of anxiety was compared in relation to different factors as mentioned above. Data collected was analyzed using independent t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results showed that the frequency of dental anxiety among the undergraduate students was 70.8%. The mean total MDAS score was 12.3 ± 4.28. Females (13.5±5.12) were more dentally anxious than males (12.2±4.73) (p=0.027). There was a significant difference in the mean MDAS score (p < 0.001) when comparing patterns of dental visits with dental anxiety. More students were fearful of local anesthetic injection than getting tooth drilled. (4) Conclusion: Dental anxiety still remains as one of the obstacles that clinicians face. More studies need to be done to provide a better understanding on how dental anxiety can affect the pattern of dental visits. Future studies should explore the etiology of dental anxiety. This study helps to create awareness on the presence of dental anxiety amongst the existent population group and also to aid clinicians in identifying areas of dentistry where patients are most anxious about in order to come up with a suitable treatment plan.

Whole genome sequence of Peribacillus sp. MUM 13 derived from mangrove forest in Malaysia

Acting like mini-factories, microorganisms are a valuable source of naturalbioactive compounds of unique chemical structures. Peribacillus sp. MUM 13 was recoveredfrom the mangrove forest in Malaysia during a screening program for bioactive microbes.Whole genome analysis revealed that the genome size of MUM 13 as 4,649,225 bp (with G+ C content of 40.8 %). Bioinformatic analysis predicted the presence of lassopeptidebiosynthetic gene clusters within the genome of MUM 13, which indicates the bioactivepotential of the strain and calls for further experiments to explore the strain characteristics,particularly in combatting against pathogenic microbes.

Simplified, Cost Effective, and Accurate Calculation of Critical Wavelength via the MATLAB Software

The use of sunscreens in our daily lives to reduce UV exposure on our skin is a good measure against photoaging. However, the current active ingredients in the market are not able to cover the entire spectrum range of UVA and UVB. Therefore, broader spectrum compounds are constantly being searched by cosmetic companies to replace the commercially available UV filters. In this study, an experimental model utilizing the MATLAB software was developed to measure a compound’s critical wavelength (λc). The purpose of this research was to ease the cost and speed up the screening of bioactive compounds for photoprotective properties while maintaining accuracy in the process. In this paper, the measurement of caffeic acid, gallic acid, and pinocembrin’s critical wavelength in the MATLAB software was explained in a step-by-step guide. This was done to create an understandable and executable procedure for future researchers to utilize. Subsequently, from the results, the critical wavelength of caffeic acid, gallic acid, and pinocembrin was 378.2nm, 324.6nm, and 364.8nm, respectively. This shows that caffeic acid has the broadest absorbance spectrum, followed by pinocembrin, and finally gallic acid. Thus, it may be possible that caffeic acid might have stronger photoprotective abilities as compared to pinocembrin and gallic acid, based on its critical wavelength.

5-year Progression of CADASIL: A Case Report

A female patient in her 40’s of mixed Chinese-Indian ancestry was referred to our neurology clinic for frequent migraine with aura and CADASIL. She had been treated for acute encephalopathy in 2014. The incident led to her CADASIL diagnosis and later retinitis pigmentosa, both rare conditions. Initial clinical assessment showed moderate severity of migraine and normal cognitive function. As there is no specific treatment recommended for CADASIL, the patient was maintained on pharmacological therapies for secondary prevention of ischaemic stroke, treatment of seizure, symptomatic treatment for migraine and a cholesterol-lowering drug. A supplement containing Vitamin E (tocotrienols) was recommended. During the ensuing 5-years, there were no further neurovascular incidents and her migraine went into full remission.

An overview of Impact of Geopathic Stress on Environment and Human Health

Earth’ core is dynamic and always fluctuating by the natural variations in its rotation, creating a massive energy field, known as electromagnetic field (EMF). We are continuously exposed to a wide spectrum of electromagnetic radiation from both natural and artificial sources which have adverse effects on the subtle balance in nature's energy fields. Natural geopathic stressors include geological faults, geomagnetic anomalies, ley lines crossing, radon gas and underground water courses. The affected geographical locations are known as geopathic stress zones as these locations exert negative effects upon health. Geopathic stress can affect all living beings including humans, animals and plants. It is primarily associated with sick building syndrome, potentially lead to physical and mental illnesses. It may also cause pavement distress, as well as frequent machinery broke down. Energy from the subsurface of the earth at specific locations or in a built environment can be detected by using ancient techniques like dowsing, and modern devices such as Spinning Electric Vector Analyzer (SEVA) and gas discharge visualization (GDV) camera, as well as tests like Vegetative Resonance Test (VRT) and Light Interference Technique (LIT). It is important that one's bed or workstation is located on a geopathic stress free zone. There is much that can be done to ameliorate or remove geopathic stress, such as ‘Feng Shui’, Earth acupuncture, and various other modern Western methods. This paper aims to discuss the potential impact of geopathic stress on the living environment and human health.

Whole-genome sequence of a novel, mangrove-derived streptomycete, Streptomyces malaysiense strain MUSC 136T

Since the discovery of streptomycin from Streptomyces griseus in the early 1940s, streptomycetes from various environments have been studied thoroughly for the ability to produce bioactive compounds including antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, antifungal as well as immunomodulatory properties. Previously identified as a novel strain from a mangrove forest in Malaysia, Streptomyces malaysiense MUSC 136T was selected for genome sequencing to explore its genomic potential. The genomic size comprises of 7,963,326 bp with a G+C content of 72.2% and a total of 6,614 proteincoding genes. As an attempt to investigate the types of biosynthetic gene cluster present in the MUSC 136T, the whole genome sequence was analyzed with a bioinformatics tool, antibiotics & Secondary Metabolite Analysis Shell (antiSMASH). Using the “strict” prediction method, a total of seven biosynthetic gene clusters which displayed similarity of more than 80% to known gene clusters including ectoine, geosmin as well as desferrioxamine. Apart from emphasizing the importance of streptomycetes from unique environments like mangrove forest, the current study serves as a foundation for future studies on the role of specific genes present in biosynthetic gene clusters which enables the exploitation of MUSC 136T to synthesize important and valuable compounds.

Quantum Biology: Does quantum physics hold the key to revolutionizing medicine?

Quantum biology is the study of quantum effects on biochemical mechanisms and biological function. Quantum physics describes the behaviour of the nanoscale particles that make up all matter including living organisms, but it was generally believed that the ‘warm, wet and noisy environment’ in living organisms would result in decoherence making it impossible for meaningful quantum effects to occur. However, there is now a substantial body of work supporting that nature has actually adapted in such a way as to exploit quantum properties to enhance cellular functioning and is believed to have role in a diverse range of key processes in living organisms ranging from maintaining the stability of DNA to neuron function to conscious cognition; from light harvesting in photosynthesis to avian magnetic field based navigation. This review aims to summarize the various mechanisms and functions in living organisms believed to utilize quantum mechanics to purposefully and effectively enhance their performance, and to explore the potential this could hold in diagnosing and treating various medical conditions.